The present invention relates generally to towing devices and, more particularly, to a low speed motorized towing device for aiding in maneuvering a trailer, such as a house trailer or a boat on a trailer, prior to attachment to a towing vehicle or after the trailer has been detached from the towing vehicle.
In the past, a number of different arrangements have been proposed for enabling a trailer to be moved relatively short distances when the trailer is detached from its towing vehicle. Some of these arrangements have included hand powered devices and other arrangements have included motor driven devices. However, none of these prior arrangements have proven to be entirely satisfactory, for one reason or another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,070 to J. D. Smith, there is disclosed a utility vehicle and vehicle mover that is power propelled, and which may be moved by an individual to both lift and transport extremely heavy vehicles, such as trailers, when the vehicle has been disconnected from its prime mover. In one embodiment, the mover includes an adjustable power lifting means that may extend a distance under the trailer tongue for increased stability. In another embodiment, the mechanism is integral with the trailer tongue itself. In still another embodiment of the invention, the mover includes an internal combustion engine. In a further embodiment of the invention, the mover includes a main frame supported from the ground by drive wheels and follower wheel and guided by steering yoke. A power plant is mounted on the frame and through a transmission system only identified generally, and via a clutch system, the speed of the power plant is reduced to the desired travel speed and the desired travel direction can be controlled.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,482 to W. J. Stephens, et al., there is disclosed a motor-driven wheel which is coupled through a rigid support to the front end of a trailer for moving the latter around when the wheel is in driving engagement with ground. The ground wheel may be raised to an inoperative position off the ground, when desired. The ground wheel may be turned to various angular positions with respect to the trailer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,711 to M. C. Kime, et al. there is disclosed a freestanding self-propelled device for moving objects. The device includes a chassis having lower frame portions and upright frame portions. A single motor-driven drive wheel is centrally located between the lateral ends of the chassis and coupled to the chassis so as to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis. The drive wheel is located between sets of support wheels coupled to the lower frame portion of the chassis. In combination, the drive wheel and the support wheels result in the device being able to free stand on the ground. The drive wheel projects below the sets of support wheels so that the device is supported by the drive wheel and by only one of each set of support wheels at any given time, thereby establishing a three-point contact with the surface supporting the device. A tiller equipped with controls is pivotably coupled to the drive wheel for pivoting the drive wheel about its vertical axis.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,841 to A. Sacco, there is disclosed a motorized device for aiding the maneuvering of trailers subsequent to detachment from the towing vehicle which comprises a shaft attachable to the drawbar of the trailer and which is adjustable for height. At least one wheel is mounted at the end of the shaft with the axis of the wheel being perpendicular to the shaft. At least one driving device for driving the wheel in rotation about its axis and a swiveling device for swiveling the wheel are also provided.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,728 to C. Huang, etc., there is disclosed a motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair which includes a framework having a chassis, a handle assembly, a motor driving assembly and a wheelchair connecting assembly. The handle assembly is adjustably mounted on the chassis. The motor driving assembly is mounted on the chassis and includes a wheel assembly with a single wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis. The motor driving assembly further includes a combined clutch and brake assembly which is connected to the wheel assembly and a motor assembly which is connected to the combined clutch and brake assembly to drive the single wheel assembly through the combined clutch and brake assembly. A hand operated battery assembly is coupled electrically to the motor assembly to drive the control unit and the motor assembly. The wheel chair connecting assembly interconnects the framework to a wheel chair. Consequently, the motorized apparatus will tow the wheelchair along a path, road, and so on.
In Canadian Patent Application 2,447,019 a new motorized tow-motor module with electronic control and a quick-release attachment mechanism is described to provide on demand motive power to a range of detachable containers or trolleys allowing heavy loads to be carried and moved between locations easily. The tow-motor includes a pair of load bearing wheels each attached to an axle supported inside a tubular monocock chassis. In one embodiment of the invention the tubular monocock chassis contains a pair of electronically controlled, variable speed, reversible, direct current motors connected to the axle(s) via a gear train and clutch assembly a rechargeable battery module and an electronic module for controlling the power applied to each of the electric motors in response to displacement and steering commands applied by the operator to a remote handle mounted controller.
It is an object of this invention to provide a towing device for aiding a person in maneuvering a trailer, such as a house trailer or a boat on a trailer, when the trailer has been detached from its towing vehicle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above which is motorized.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above which is low speed.
It is yet still another object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above which is adjustable in speed.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above which is free standing.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above which can move trailers or other wheeled objects which weigh as much as 17,000 pounds on a level surface.
It is yet still another object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above which can move wheeled objects.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a towing device which is free standing and which can move in both a forward direction and a rear direction.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a towing device as described above, which is easily maneuverable.